Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Seventh Grade and Misery

I read an article today about how being defriended (yes, that is now a word) on Facebook causes similar distress to the end of an offline relationship. I don't think anyone has defriended me lately - though really, how would I know? I have so many friends I don't even know, people who added me after the earthquake. But what really struck me about the article was the last paragraph:

“In the cases where I was defriended, it was without warning and I hate to admit it, but I felt rejected,” she said. “It is interesting how Facebook can feel just like being back in the seventh grade.”

Ah yes, the seventh grade - that universal metaphor for all that is uncomfortable about human relationships: insecurity, irrationality, unkindness. Kind of makes you wonder what kind of person would choose to spend her days with seventh graders, doesn't it?

2 comments:

I loved teaching the seventh and eighth graders. They were so open to encouragement and praise. Certainly they experienced such highs and lows, which often made them exceptionally open to things of the Lord. They were starting to think for themselves and their core beliefs were starting to cement.

It's a strange and wonderful time that one is privileged to influence when given the opportunity.

About Me

I live with my family in Haiti (I used to call it Tecwil = The Country Where I Live in an attempt to preserve my anonymity and that of my adopted country - the earthquake changed that and everything else). I teach English to seventh and eighth graders at an international Christian school. The name of my blog comes from this song.